By Pastor F. M. Riley                                                             December 8, 2009

“And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?   ……………

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof,”  Revelation 5:1-5.

Introduction

What is this book [scroll] with “seven seals,” and why is it so important?

I do not mean to be offensive to my brethren, but over the 55 years of my ministry I have heard every harebrained and cockeyed idea imaginable set forth about this book.  As usual, instead of studying the Scriptures to see what God’s inspired Word actually and literally says about this book, there are many today who still depend on their own human reasoning, ideas, and theories to “figure it out.”  God have mercy!

In this study I am going to tell our readers exactly what this book is and why it is so important, and then by the grace of God I am going to PROVE what I tell you, 1 Thessalonians 5:21. If this question has ever bothered you, then join us for a Scripturally enlightening study.

The Title Deed to the Earth

First, this “seven sealed book” is the Title Deed to this earth, and by extension to the whole creation of God.

In the ancient history of Israel, when the land was divided among the tribes a Title Deed was drawn up detailing the inheritance received by each family in Israel.  Each deed was recorded on a “scroll.” In ancient times books were written on scrolls rather than being in the form they are in today.  The Law governing these inheritances of land received by each Israelite family are recorded in Leviticus 25. I urge our readers to study the entire chapter carefully.

The inheritance of land that each Israelite family received was to belong to them “forever,” Leviticus 25:23. The land was never to be sold, however God’s Law did make provision for the land, technically speaking, to be “leased out” in the event that poverty, sickness, catastrophe, etc. made it necessary on the part of the owner, Leviticus 25:24-28.

In such cases the land would pass to a new tenant until the year of Jubilee, or until the land was “redeemed” by the rightful owner or a “kinsman” related to the  owner.  When the land then changed hands, the terms of “redemption” were recorded on the Title Deed, and the deed was then “sealed.”

The various deeds were always kept in a safe place, where at anytime during a fifty year Jubilee cycle a legally “qualified” person could call for the deed, break the “seals,” read the terms of “redemption,” pay the price required, and the land would revert to his ownership.  This “qualified” person had to be  either the rightful owner himself, his heir, or a “kinsman” in his family lineage.

A Bible example of just such a “land transaction” is described in Jeremiah 32. I urge our readers to study the entire chapter.  It will help our readers to understand the “legal procedure” which begins in Revelation 5 and extends through Revelation 10.

When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them Title Deed to the entire earth, Genesis 1:28. They owned it all by Title Deed from God Himself who created it. By extension their “dominion” applied to the whole creation.  See Psalm 8:3-6. This passage clearly extends man’s dominion into the farthest reaches of the universe.

But sadly, Adam and Eve lost their dominion by listening to Satan and disobeying the Lord.  Rather than continuing to rule, Adam and Eve and all their descendants became slaves to self, sin, and Satan.  The whole earth, which was once the possession of mankind, passed into the hands of Satan.  He became “the god of this world,” 2 Corinthians 4:4.

This is why John wept so bitterly when “no man was found worthy to open the book, neither to look thereon,” Revelation 5:4.

John knew that the book “sealed with seven seals” is the Title Deed to this earth, and that unless a man [a kinsman] was found who was “worthy” [qualified] to open the book and loose the seals, the earth would forever remain under the control of Satan and under the curse placed upon it on the occasion of Adam’s sin, Genesis 3:17-19.

John knew that unless a Kinsman Redeemer was found the creation itself would never “…be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God,” Romans 8:21. This is why John wept!  As I view this scene, I can easily understand the anguish that filled John’s heart.

Folks, it was “the first man Adam,” [1 Corinthians 15:45] who disobeyed the Lord and brought the curse of sin upon the whole human race, and by extension upon all of the creation.  Since it was “man” who sinned and brought upon mankind the curse of sin and death, then ONLY A MAN could pay the sin debt and “redeem” humanity and the creation from their fallen state, Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.

But not just any man was qualified!  It had to be a man who was absolutely unblemished by Adam’s sin.  This is why John himself did not take the book and open the seals.  As a man John had a “sin nature” inherited from Adam.  What “man” do you know who never had such a “sin nature”?  Well…??  [Yet some “professing Christians” sneer at the idea of the virgin birth of Christ.  Sic!]

The Greek word translated as “worthy” in Revelation 5:2 and 5:4 is the word, “axios.” This Greek word literally means, “to have the weight of another thing; to be worth as much; to be worthy or deserving; to be judged worthy.”

See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, pages 52-53, Strong’s No. 514.  In other words, a “man” had to be found who was totally pure and unblemished in order that his “purity and holiness” might CANCEL OUT the impurity of the “sin nature” received from fallen Adam. Was such a man found?  Indeed He was!

We read in Revelation 5:5, “…..Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof.” The Greek word translated as “prevailed” in this verse is the word, “nikao.”

This Greek word literally means, “to conquer; to overcome.” See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, pages 425-426, Strong’s No. 3528.  The very same Greek word is used in John 16:33 where the Lord Himself told His disciples, “…..In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Glory to God!

In Revelation chapters 5 through 10 it is then recorded how the Lord Jesus Christ, our precious pure, holy, and undefiled Kinsman Redeemer, takes the Title Deed to this earth out of the hand of His Heavenly Father, breaks the seals, and fulfills all “legal requirements” for the redemption of the earth. The Lord in Revelation 10:1-3, then reclaims the earth as His “legal” and rightful possession.  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  Thank you Lord Jesus!

It should then be obvious to our readers that the “…book…..sealed with seven seals” is in truth the Title Deed to this earth.  But this brings up a question.  Where is the  RECORD of this Title Deed to the earth recorded and preserved?  I’m glad you asked….

The ORIGINAL Title Deed is preserved in Heaven in the care of the Heavenly Father!  See Psalm 119:89. This is why John first saw the “book” in “…the right hand of Him that sat on the throne…,” Revelation 5:1. Since the ORIGINAL is safe guarded in Heaven’s vaults, no man on this earth can ever successfully change the Word.

The PUBLIC COPY given to mankind is recorded and preserved ONLY in the pages of God’s inspired Word!  This must then mean that God’s inspired Word and the “…book…..sealed with seven seals” are inseparable.  They are one and the same!  My second point exactly…..

The Divinely Inspired Word of God

Second, this “seven sealed book” is the whole inspired Word of God!

The entire Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, as given to mankind in the Masoretic Hebrew Text of the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus Greek of the New Testament is the “seven sealed book” of Revelation 5.

The Bible IS NOT merely a record of Jewish history and morals written by a few Jewish sages in centuries past.  Rather, it is the Divinely inspired Word of God!  Read 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and 2 Peter 1:19-21 and believe what you read.  I am now going to demonstrate and prove this truth for our readers.

What I am now going to share with our readers is a truth that only a few of God’s people have ever bothered to study for themselves. Here it is…..

The entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, were inspired in a mathematical arrangement which no man on earth has ever been able to duplicate.  In other words, the Bible was inspired by a MATHEMATICAL GENIUS whose knowledge is superior to all the combined knowledge of the whole human race throughout history.  Proof of this statement?  I’m so glad you asked…..

In the Hebrew language every letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a “numerical value,” for the Hebrews [Israelites] do not have a numerical system separate from their alphabet as we English speaking people do.  In the Hebrew language the letters of the alphabet also serve as the numerical system.  The letters of the Hebrew alphabet are used interchangeably to indicate numerical values as needed.

Quite significantly, and obviously not by accident, this is also true in the Greek language.  It is then more than coincidence that it was these two languages which the Lord chose to use when giving His Word to mankind; Hebrew and Greek.

Since every letter has a certain numerical value, it is then obvious that when these letters are strung together to form a word the entire word has a numerical value.  The numerical value of each word is determined by adding up the numerical value of all the letters in the word.  Here are some examples from the Greek text to illustrate these truths for our readers.

LORD                                        JESUS                                  CHRIST

Kurios Iesous Xristos

Kappa…………     20                  Iota…………. 10                   Chi…………. 600

Upsilon………..   400                  Eta…………..   8                   Rho………… 100

Rho…………….   100                  Sigma……….200                   Iota…………  10

Iota…………….     10 Omicron……  70 Sigma……… 200

Omicron………     70                  Upsilon……..400                   Tau………… 300

Sigma…………    200                  Sigma……….200                  Omicron……   70

Sigma……… 200

——-                                     ——                                        ——

800 888                                       1480

It is worthy of note in the examples given that our Savior is the “888” in opposition to the coming Antichrist whose number is “666.”  “8” is the Bible number associated with “the new birth; new things; new beginning; new creation; etc.”

The examples given simply illustrate that each individual word in the Hebrew and
Greek texts have their own numerical value, which is derived at by adding the numerical value of each letter composing the word.  But how does this prove a connection between the inspired Word and the “book…..sealed with seven seals”? It doesn’t!  But now let’s make that connection…..

The Amazing Seven Sealed Book

Go now to the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Old Testament or to the Textus Receptus of the Greek New Testament and start reading and calculating the numerical values of each word that you read.  Now calculate the numerical value of all the words in a complete sentence. While each word has its own numerical value, the total numerical value of all of the words in a complete sentence when added together IS ALWAYS EVENLY DIVISIBLE BY SEVEN.  Hello!  Are you listening?

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in every complete paragraph in the chapter is also evenly divisible by seven.

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in every complete chapter  is evenly divisible by seven.

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in every complete book is evenly divisible by seven.

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in the entire Hebrew Old Testament is evenly divisible by seven.

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in the entire Greek New Testament is evenly divisible by seven.

This means that the total numerical value of all the words in the entire Hebrew and Greek Bible is evenly divisible by seven.

Now what did John see in Revelation 5:1? He saw a book “sealed with seven seals.” Folks, the numerical value of every complete sentence, every complete paragraph, every complete chapter, every complete book, in the entire Bible is evenly divisible by SEVEN.

NOW DO OUR READERS UNDERSTAND THAT THE BIBLE IS INDEED THE  “…book…..sealed with seven seals” AND IS ALSO THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD? Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!  Hallelujah!  What a glorious God given supernatural book is our Bible!   Thank you precious Lord!

Dear readers, YOU can check out the accuracy of this information for yourself if you are willing to make the effort.  Assuming that you know how to add or use a calculator, just obtain a copy of the Hebrew and Greek alphabets with the numerical values of the  letters, and copies of the Hebrew and Greek texts mentioned in this study, and start counting.  You can prove for yourself the truth of what I have just presented.  Glory to God!  Praise the Lord!

The Correct Hebrew and Greek Texts

In 55 years of ministry I have had occasion to study several different Hebrew and Greek texts, and check them out numerically.  Therefore I state without apology that the ONLY Hebrew text that has been “preserved” inviolate [without error] for believers living today is the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Old Testament.

Folks, numbers don’t lie!  Men may lie, but numbers don’t!  Likewise, the ONLY reliable Greek text that has been “preserved” inviolate for believers living today is the Textus Receptus, sometimes referred to as the Stephanus Text. 

I am personally convinced that this is the very reason the Lord inspired His Word in a mathematical arrangement.  These numerical values can be used to absolutely prove which Hebrew and Greek texts are reliable, and which ones have been tampered with and changed over the centuries.

Answering the Critics

Yes, I am well aware that some preachers and so-called “scholars” claim that no Hebrew or Greek text in existence today is reliable.  They point to all the changes  that were made over several centuries in the manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek texts,  and then boldly declare that there is no inerrant manuscript today.  Hogwash!  Have these critics ever bothered to read Psalm 12:6-7?

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.”

These Scriptures explicitly declare that the Lord has “purified” His Word “seven times,” that it is “pure” [undefiled and inerrent], and that He will “preserve” it “forever.” Now tell me, just how big is the God whom you claim to believe in and serve?

Does He have the power to do what He has explicitly stated in His Word that He has done and yet will do in relation to His Word?   My Lord and God certainly possesses  such power.  If yours doesn’t, then I sure want nothing to do with your “god.”

From time to time some ask me why I am still using the old, outdated, King James Version of the Bible.  It is because I learned many years ago in studying the Hebrew and Greek texts that the King James Version of the Bible is still the best translation of the Hebrew and Greek texts available in English today.

Not even one “modern” translation has ever improved on the King James Bible when compared with the Hebrew and Greek texts in which God gave us His inspired Word.  The “modern” translations don’t even  come close to being as good as the King James Version, and some of them are out and out frauds.  Read Jeremiah 23:30.

Now let’s go back to the “seven sealed book”…..

A Prophetic Fulfillment

Before I conclude this study I want to point out to our readers the prophetic significance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself opening the seals on the “seven sealed book.”

In the context preceding Daniel 12:4 the old prophet had been given a series of visions to help him understand what would happen to the Jewish people “…in the latter days…, Daniel 10:14. In 12:4 Daniel is explicitly told, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” The “book” being sealed on this occasion is, according to the context, the prophetic Word of God.

Now go to Revelation 5 through 10 and there we see “a little book…..sealed with seven seals” whose “seals” are being opened by none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  What is “the little book” which He unsealing?   The prophetic Word of God!  Coincidence?  I think not!   Isn’t our Lord and His Word awesome?  Praise the Lord!

Conclusion

Dear readers, in this study I have given Scriptural proof that the “…book…..sealed with seven seals” is the Title Deed to this earth which is recorded ONLY in the Word of God, and that the Word of God is the “…book…..sealed with seven seals.”

Further, in this study I have pointed out that the Bible in the Hebrew and Greek languages in which God gave it to mankind is indeed Divinely Inspired.  The Bible is the  supernatural, living, pure, holy, spiritual, very Word of very God.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself explicitly and emphatically stated, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life,” John 6:63.

Dear readers, if you receive nothing else out of this study, my prayer is that you will come to realize that the Bible is a supernatural, living book.  It is alive!  Treat it with respect!  Believe it for salvation! Romans 10:8-10; 10:17. Study it daily for spiritual growth, sustenance, blessing, and guidance!

Matthew 4:4; John 16:12-15; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 2:2-3. Share it for wisdom.  Proverbs 11:30. Hold fast to its promises for deliverance.  John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Our Lord is coming soon!

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NOTICE:     Permission is granted to any true believer or Bible believing Christian ministry to reproduce this study to share with others, or to quote from it in context as written.

Please address all comments, questions, or correspondence to:  Pastor F. M. Riley, Last Call Gospel Ministry, 184 County Road 108, Harrisburg, Missouri 65256.

I can be reached by email at:     fmrglbd5@yahoo.com

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